Digital Commons Network^™

Introduction: Celebrating And Advancing Magisterial Teaching On The Climate Crisis, Jame Schaefer

Theology Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Salvation: An Exploration, Kelsey Rose Weber

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis explores how women in different religious communities relate to the concept of Salvation. Focusing on Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism, this short experimental film, and supplement paper, seek to provide an alternative point of view that translates this unique experience for women in religions that use heavily gendered language and that are rooted in traditional patriarchal cultures. By using the experimental film medium, viewers are able to perceive religion and film in a new way that pushes the viewer to give their own interpretation of the imagery on screen. It also allows viewers to give the imagery meaning …

The Intricacy Of Death And Destiny, Christopher Rogers

PTRS Undergraduate Publications

It is our eternal shadow and our ultimate judge. It is our shared destiny and greatest fear; death. The conceptualization of death has always been a fascination of man; we have forever explored it, pondered it, dissected it, but never conquered it. We know how to live, but yet very few of us know how to die.

Two of the most brilliant explorations of this dynamic are vastly different yet inherently important works. The genius of both George Orwell’s political satire 1984, and Albert Camus’ The Plague is their accessibility to the imagination regarding dying, the authors ability to …

Issues Of The Ends Of Life: The Segelberg Series, Terry Waite, Jocelyn Downie, Karen Lebacqz, Harvey M. Chochinov, Genevieve Thompson, Allan E. Blakeney, Eric Beresford, Innis Christie, David Stuewe

Innis Christie Collection

The Segelberg Series explores the intersection of religious faith and public policy. This book contains the lectures focused on The Ends of Life. Dalhousie University’s School of Public Administration managed the series through a lecture committee under the able leadership of the former Dean of Dalhousie’s Law School, Professor Innis Christie, QC.

The African-American Islamic Renaissance And The Rise Of The Nation Of Islam, Patrick Denis Bowen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines African-American Islamic culture from 1920 through 1959, a period I label the "African-American Islamic Renaissance" (AAIR). The AAIR is characterized by a significant increase in interest in Islam, extreme diversity in views about Islam, and the absence of a single organization dominating African-American Islamic culture for a significant amount of time. Previous works dealing with African-American Islam in this period have failed to fully recognize these features, particularly the last of these. As a result, explanations for the rise of the Nation of Islam (NOI) have not satisfactorily explained why it was only the NOI--and not other …

Wahlde's "The Gospel And Letters Of John" - Book Review, Paul N. Anderson

Faculty Publications - George Fox School of Theology

This revised dissertation (Catholic Theology Faculty, Tübingen) was written in conscious dialogue with the Vatican II documents on Jewish and Christian relations. Still, the volume has value for all scholars seeking more clearly to understand the Lukan and Pauline perspectives on the future of Israel. Schafer argues that both Paul and Luke, like most Jewish writers of their time, were deeply influenced by Deuteronomistic theology on the abiding, but conditional, nature of God’s covenant with Israel. According to Schafer, both Luke and Paul regarded the initial presence of a core group of Jewish believers within early Christianity as essential for …

Mission And Interchurch Relations: Separate, Connected, Blended? Insights For Contemporary Adventist Theological Education, Stefan Höschele

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Shamanism In The Korean Adventist Church, Gyeongchun Choi

Journal of Adventist Mission Studies

No abstract provided.

Trusting Joseph, Neal Rappleye

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

The “first steps” of Mormon history are vital to the faith claims of the Latter-day Saints. The new volume Exploring the First Vision, edited by Samuel Alonzo Dodge and Steven C. Harper, compiles research into the historical veracity of Joseph Smith’s First Vision narrative which shows the Prophet to have been a reliable and trustworthy witness. Ultimately, historical investigation can neither prove nor disprove that Joseph had a theophany in the woods in 1820. Individuals must therefore reach their conclusions by some other means.

Full Issue

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Grapes, Olives And Yams: Towards A Theology Of The Garden In Oceania, Glenn J. Morrison

Theology Papers and Journal Articles

Pursuing a theology of the garden in Oceania, the article develops Ilaitia Tuwere’s Fijian theological perspectives with Emmanuel Levinas’ philosophy and Talmudic readings. The defining experience in the Oceanic garden is mercy. Through the bodiliness and otherness of Jesus, the chief Gardener, an immemorial truth emerges: the land (vanua) testifies to the mercy (maternity) of God, revealing a garden (were) of justice, repentance, peace, healing and the forgiveness of sins. Indeed, our hope for the reign of God is not useless and for nothing, for it becomes the very source of the fecundity of time and the positive value of …

Introduction: The New Voices Of Muslim Women Theologians, Marcia Hermansen

Theology: Faculty Publications and Other Works

This pioneering volume defines the contours of the emerging engagements of Muslim women scholars from around the world with the authoritative interpretive traditions of Islam, classical and contemporary. Muslima theology, here broadly defined to encompass a range of interpretive strategies and perspectives arising from multiple social locations, interrogates Islamic scripture and other forms of religious discourse to empower Muslim women of faith to speak for themselves in the interests of gender justice. Contributions provide an overview of the field at this juncture-ranging from pioneering Muslim scriptural feminism to detailed analyses of legal and mystical texts by a new international cohort …

The Experience Of Elderly Koreans' Han And Its Implication For Spiritual Care: In The Canadian Context, Jong Park

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Han is an indigenous Korean concept signifying a depth of internalized human suffering, caused primarily by a long history of socio, economic and political oppression. Han can also be understood as the deep psychological wounds of the Korean people. This study focuses on the Han experiences of elderly Korean immigrants living in Canada. The main purpose of the research is to provide a better spiritual care for such seniors who live as a marginal population. For a holistic understanding of their Han, the literature review examines Han-related history, religion and psychology, and explores Han experiences in the family …

Normal Mysticism : An Interdisciplinary Study Of Max Kudushin's Rabbinic Hermeneutic, Thomas L. Head

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Max Kadushin (1895-1980) was a rabbi, professor, and preeminent figure in the history of American Conservative Jewish rabbinic thought. His hermeneutic system, which centers on the idea of organic religious value-concepts, has had a significant influence on the emerging Textual Reasoning movement.

In chapter one, I describe the intellectual climate in which Kadushin's system took shape—providing a short history of the 19th-century reform and haskalah movements, discussing the general outline of Alfred North Whitehead's process philosophy tradition, and placing new focus on the tension between Conservative Judaism and Mordecai Kaplan's emerging philosophy of Reconstructionism as a critical factor in the …

Covenant Of Redemption In The Theology Of Jonathan Edwards: The Nexus Between The Immanent And The Economic Trinity, Reita Yazawa

CTS PhD Doctoral Dissertations

Contemporary trinitarian theologies tend to hold that the doctrine of the Trinity, especially the immanent Trinity, became impractical, speculative, and abstruse over the years in the history of Christian theology. In response, the recent theologies of the Trinity explore various practical implications of the doctrine of the Trinity with emphasis on God’s economic work of redemption in history. However, the Reformed idea of the covenant of redemption helps us to reconsider whether the doctrine of the Trinity, even of the immanent Trinity, has been really so impractical. In this study, I argue that the Reformed idea of the covenant of …

Religious Pluralism And The Catholic Church: Lonergan's Method And The Jacques Dupuis Controversy, Andrea J. Stapleton Berger

Dissertations

This project applies Lonergan's method to the controversy that resulted from the censure of Jacques Dupuis by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith over his book, Toward a Christian Theology of Religious Pluralism. The application of Lonergan's method reveals the potential for the resolution of the issues presented by Dupuis in the area of developing a Catholic theology of pluralism as well as the tension between the Catholic Magisterium and the work of Catholic theologians.

Reading The Gospel Of Philip As A Temple Text, Gaye Strathearn

Faculty Publications

For many Latter-day Saints, their introduction to studies on Latter-day Saint ritual was in reading the works of Hugh Nibley, who specifically focused on the rites of the temple. Nibley was the first to point out the parallels between the religious behavior of earlier cultures, especially the ritual experiences of early Christianity, and our own. In this paper, Gaye continues this tradition as she introduces us to the Gnostic text the Gospel of Philip and points out intriguing similarities between this text and our own temple experience

“I Will Bless The Lord At All Times”: Blessing God In The Old Testament, Dana M. Pike

Faculty Publications

Because of his love for them, God is disposed to bless all his children to some extent (see Matthew 5:45). However, in addition to God’s graciously bestowed blessings on all people, many divine blessings are primarily relationship dependent; that is, existing in a particular relationship with God allows one to obtain certain blessings that are often greater than those bestowed upon someone outside such a relationship.1 The Bible indicates that by his power God blessed Adam and Eve (Gen 1:22, 28) and their faithful descendants, including Noah, Abraham, Sarah, and many others. For example, after Noah’s family left their ark, …

Media, Mormonism, And Mormon Media Studies, Sherry Baker

Faculty Publications

Bosco Bae has asked me to write a reflection about the Mormon Media Studies Symposia that were held at Brigham Young University in 2010 and 2012, and to provide some "general thoughts" about the relationship between media, Mormonism, and Mormons. I also will address the topic of Mormon Media Studies as an emerging discipline, and will conclude with some thoughts about Mormons, the media, and the Mormon Moment. My comments are meant only to be conversational in tone. They certainly do not purport to be definitive or comprehensive statements about the topics discussed.

Joseph F. Smith And The First World War: Eventual Support And Latter-Day Saint Chaplains, Kenneth L. Alford Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

A discussion of the calling of three Latter-day Saint (Mormon) U.S. Army chaplains who served during World War I and support for the war from President Joseph F. Smith, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Fluid Boundaries And The Assertion Of Difference In Low-Caste Religious Identity, Nancy M. Martin

Religious Studies Faculty Books and Book Chapters

"The boundaries of religious traditions are being actively contested in India today, though in practice their internal and external structures are fl uid and open. Each religion takes a wide array of forms, refl ecting the diversity of the communities and adherents who fi nd relevance and meaning within it, and symbols and practices fl ow readily across what prove to be very permeable and overlapping boundaries between religious traditions. However, religion has been used by the powerful to assert and maintain dominance and in national and regional communal politics, at times fanning the fl ames of extreme violence. Fundamentalists …

Between Eden And Egypt: Echoes Of The Garden Narrative In The Story Of Joseph And His Brothers, Brian Osborne Sigmon

Dissertations (1934 -)

The Joseph story (Gen 37-50) is often recognized for its remarkable literary unity and depth. At the same time, much of its richness derives from its relationship with the rest of Genesis, as the Joseph story's context is an essential aspect of its meaning and message. This dissertation explores the Joseph story's relationship with the beginning of Genesis, by illuminating its connections with the Eden narrative and the story of Cain and Abel (Gen 2:4-4:26). It argues that the Joseph story's allusions to these narratives deepen its literary themes and theological vision by setting it in its proper context for …

Factors Influencing Fundraising Success At Church-Related Colleges And Universities, Jeff G. Cohu

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore and examine factors leading to fundraising success in church-related colleges and universities that have not secularized their Christian mission, governance, and denominational relationships. This study posed research questions concerning both the specific strategies and leadership behaviors used by individual leaders at successful institutions in the church-related niche of higher education.

The methodology used in this qualitative study featured a grounded theory approach blended with some elements of a comparative study approach. Five institutions were selected based on a purposeful sampling strategy. The data collection methods included in-depth, semi-structured interviews with key institutional …

The Concise Guide To The Modern Calvinist/Arminian Debate, David J. Leonhardt

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The Calvinist/Arminian debate is not a new issue to the Protestant Church; however, it is an issue that has resurged within contemporary Christianity. One major offense committed in this controversial debate occurs when a person or group uses a term from the opposite side in a way that is not the proponent’s original intent or meaning. Furthermore, misconceptions concerning the actual doctrines maintained by either side have become commonplace in the debate. In order to correct this problem, this thesis will serve as a guide for understanding the Calvinist/Arminian debate. It will provide information on the founders of the two …

Full Issue, No Author

Verbum

This is the full issue of Volume 10, Issue 1 of Verbum, published in Fall 2012 by the REST Club at St. John Fisher College. Articles from this issue are available as separate PDFs at http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/verbum/vol10/iss1/

Radical Buddhism, Then And Now: Prospects Of A Paradox, James Mark Shields

Faculty Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

When Pages Collide: Dissecting The Words Of Mormon, Jack M. Lyon, Kent R. Minson

BYU Studies

Careful readers of the Book of Mormon have probably found verses 12-18 of the Words of Mormon to be a bit of a puzzle. For stylistic and other reasons, they do not really fit with verses 1-11, so commentators have tried to explain their presence as a sort of "bridge" or "transition" that Mormon wrote to connect the record of the small plates with his abridgment from the large plates. This paper proposes a different explanation: Rather than being a bridge into the book of Mosiah, these verses were originally part of the book of Mosiah and should be included …

50 And 10: Years To Remember, William Graf

Verbum

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph.

"My last years in the seminary (1959-1960) were to be academically uneventful until the faculty and students read the startling announcement: Pope John XXIII Summons an Ecumenical Council. Ninety years had passed since the last Council and Vatican Council I was the first in over 300 years. Although we had to go to our textbooks to find out about the workings of a Council, the students, at least, were excited about the possibilities. In this brief reflection I want to share some of my memories of Vatican Council II …

Life In Rural Ghana, Nidun Daniel

Verbum

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph.

"I am a graduate of Saint John Fisher College (Class of 2011) with a double major in biology and religious studies. I recently took part in an international trip at my medical school in Old Westbury, NY. I attend the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine at NYIT. The collaboration between the NYIT Center for Global Health and the Jesse M. Rohde Foundation in Ghana helped create a trip that in itself was a life changing experience. Each and every day offered something new to our thoughts that paved …

The Gift Of Family, Rachael Drojak Jacob Swartwout

Verbum

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph.

"Rachael: My father had passed away before I had been born; however, I did not only have my mother. We had extended friends and family that knew my father and helped my mom take care of me and my siblings. I never really knew what it was like to have a father, but I learned a lot from friends and relatives that had both parents. I also had my nanny; Nana, that helped my mom with the kids while she was going to school for her master’s degree in …